


Duty Over Father

by greatbriton



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Comfort, Gen, M/M, No Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 02:57:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9215627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greatbriton/pseuds/greatbriton
Summary: Ignis comforts Gladio after the events of Chapter One.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hope its okay.   
> Spoilers for Chapter One

The camp was oppressively quiet. They didn't make it far from the walls of Insomnia before night fell and they were forced to settle for the night. Noctis had been determined to get to Hammerhead and get answers from Cor. It had taken quite a bit of convincing to get him to see that traveling in the night wouldn't help matters. It'd have to wait for morning. 

Noctis wouldn't eat and he disappeared into the tent as soon as it was standing. Gladio had stared after him until he finally grunted with a shake of his head and went to sit at the edge of the campsite. That's where he remained for some time. Ignis was watching Gladio's hunched back from yards away. He hadn't moved since Ignis had emerged from trying to reassure the Prince. But Noctis had only turned over and feigned sleep. 

Ignis sighed sadly and grabbed a forgotten plate of food, Anak skewers. It was one of Gladio's favorites. He always had triple helpings when Ignis made them. Tonight they were left untouched. Ignis had thought the Prince wouldn't eat but even with what had happened, it surprised him a little that Gladiolus had not eaten for the mere nourishment. 

He softly but loudly enough to be heard as he approached Gladio. The larger man didn't move but Ignis could see the hard rise and fall of his back as he huffed irritably when he noticed Ignis coming. 

“I … thought you could do with a little company,” he said and set the plate down just behind Gladio then sat down next to him without an invitation. He noticed the sharp glance he got but ignored it. “I noticed you didn't eat.”

Gladio was silent for a few breaths, staring out at the clear sky. Stars and moon shining bright as if tragedy hadn't just been struck down on the world they overlooked. 

“Not hungry,” he finally said gruffly. Ignis shrugged and wiped his hands together. 

“I work tirelessly at that stove and this is the thanks I get.” He tried for a light tone to gauge Gladio's temper.

“Save it for His Majesty!” Gladio almost spit the words then he looked over his shoulder at the tent before shaking his head. 

Ignis felt a empathetic ache in his chest and he put a hand on Gladio's shoulder. It tensed under Ignis' touch and he turned his dark head away. 

“He's just had the world put onto his shoulders. Give him time.”

Gladiolus seemed to curl in on himself at the words and he let out a long sigh as if trying to release the pain that he was holding onto. But it had a hold on him and it didn't let go. 

“He acts--” Gladio turned to Ignis then. “He acts like he's the only one! He always has.”

Ignis knew he didn't have the correct words to alleviate this notion. Noctis had a way of selfishness about him but how could you expect a Prince not to, Ignis wondered. But they both knew that he was a good man. He was only sometimes blinded by his own that he missed the hurt in others' eyes. Ignis rubbed a soothing circle against Gladio's back and gave him the time to find his own words through this. 

“Sometimes it's hard, Ignis,” Gladio's voice was tight. “Hell, it always is. Just some days like this one... it's hard to keep moving. But he can't know that.”

Ignis blinked and stared over Gladio's head at nothing as he listened to him. He knew exactly what Gladio was talking about. They had no time for their own weaknesses. It left scars. This would not heal cleanly for Gladio. 

“If --” Gladio's words stopped and he clutched Ignis' knee tightly and he looked down at that spot as if it were an anchor. “If the King is dead,” he began, his words slow and rough like they were torn from him. “If the King is dead,” he repeated this time the words came easier. “Then my father--”

“Gladio, we don't know--”

“He would have been there,” he snapped Ignis' sentence to a halt. “There's no way if they got to the King that they didn't get there through Clarus Amicitia.”

Gladio glanced up at Ignis then and his eyes were dark and wet but not a tear had fallen. Ignis put his hand over Gladio's and squeezed. 

“Clarus was a good man,” Ignis said softly. “It's good that you stop and think of him. He would understand.”

Gladio laughed sadly then briefly and turned away long enough to wipe his eyes with his free arm. “But I have a duty.”

Ignis nodded and squeezed his hand again. “But you have a duty.” He looked Gladiolus in the eyes and leaned in close. “You have a duty but you are not alone. Remember that.”

Gladio smiled then and let out a deep sigh, this time some of the pain seemed to release him as he did so. He sat up straighter and looked back out at horizon. “He was a hard ass.” 

Ignis chuckled, watching Gladio's face and how the light of the night highlighted his features. “I recall a time he reprimanded you in front of an entire training class.”

Gladio laughed. “Yeah, because baby Prince Noctis had shown up with a bruise on his face after a sparring session. I had “Been too rough on the boy. He was only just learning the proper defensive techniques.””

“You were as red as a tomato.”

“I was harder on Noct the next time.”

Ignis smiled, imagining that session. He leaned back on his arm and asked, “Would you tell me more about your father?”

Gladio swallowed a swell of emotion then nodded. “Sure. I'd love to, Iggy.”

A good portion of the night was lost to them sitting there in the dark while Gladio reminisced. Good times, bad times. All the times he could remember. Ignis listened along and was satisfied with that. He hadn't known Gladio's father very well, but the tales Gladio told made him seem familiar. It wasn't until Gladio trailed off with a fond sigh. He looked exhausted but his shoulders were relaxed and his eyes were dry. 

“Let's get to sleep.”

“What little we can get of it.”

They stood and Gladio pulled Ignis tightly into his side with one arm and they stumbled to the tent, quiet laughs making their way with them.


End file.
